To be fair, it is only one of four speech bubbles that he is supportive in that one talk. The first three still come across pretty bad.

Just finished the comics tonight so some of it is still fresh in my mind lol

I would like to add that they swap opponents a few times during the single frame part of the fight. This implies Nolan was landing hits on both of them which, combined with the things you mentioned, makes it less weird for Mark to start landing more hits and things.